The present invention relates to compositions for lowering the total amount of cholesterol in the blood, said compositions comprising pravastatin and one or more vitamins selected from the group consisting of riboflavins, d-α-tocopherols, ascorbic acids and inositol hexanicotinate.
Pravastatin exhibits activity in lowering the total amount of cholesterol in the blood due to HMG-CoA reductase inhibition in vivo. In addition, it is known that each of riboflavins, d-α-tocopherols, ascorbic acids and inositol hexanicotinate themselves have activity in lowering the total amount of cholesterol in the blood. Furthermore, it is also known that the total amount of cholesterol in the blood can be kept at a low level and the amount of d-α-tocopherols and ascorbic acid in the body is decreased by HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors and this can be supplemented by the combination of an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor and a d-α-tocopherol or an ascorbic acid (Japanese Patent Application Publication (Kohyo) No. Hei 8-505853).
However it has not previously been disclosed that the total amount of cholesterol in the blood is synergistically lowered by a combination of pravastatin and a riboflavin, d-α-tocopherol, ascorbic acid or inositol hexanicotinate. Pravastatin is a safe pharmaceutical agent, but it is administered for a long period. Therefore it has been required that lowering the total amount of cholesterol in the blood could be accomplished with a lower administered amount of pravastatin.